Archive/File: imt/nca/supp-b/nca-sb-02-kaltenbrunner.11 Last-Modified: 1997/11/24 Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression, Supplement B Lynching of Enemy "Terror Aviators" Excerpts from Testimony of Ernst Kaltenbrunner, taken at Nurnberg, Germany, 16 October 1945, 1030- 1210, by Lt. Col. Smith W. Brookhart, IGD. Also present: Nancy M. Shields, BCV, Reporter; Captain H.W. Frank, Interpreter. [Page 1311] Q. I would like to have you tell us about the conference that was held at the Fuehrer's headquarters on 6 June 1944 at Klessheim in the afternoon. A. Yes. Q. Do you recall that conference? A. I don't know which conference you are talking about. Q. (Referring to Doc. 735-ps) You were reported to the Assistant Chief of the Command Staff of the Wehrmacht that a discussion [Page 1312] was held a short time before, between Goering, Ribbentrop (as Foreign Secretary), Himmler (as Reichsfuehrer SS) on the subject of the treatment of enemy "terror aviators." A. I have never made such a report. Q. Let me refresh you further. Whereas the Foreign Secretary had wanted to include every type of "terror attack" against the domestic population, agreement was reached at the conference that only strafing committed directly against the civilian population would be considered a criminal act. A. I have never participated in any such conference. Q. I show you a photostatic copy of the secret summary of Warlimont's conference with Kaltenbrunner on the lynching of certain allied aviators, in its German text and ask you to read it and tell us what you recall about the conference. A. (Reading document) This is totally incorrect. Q. Finish reading it, then tell us what you think you know about it. A. This must be a mix-up with the Reichsfuehrer SS or some other person. I have never received an invitation to comment on this question, but much later when I heard about it I have spoken against it in reports. Q. How much later? A. That I cannot say but I assume it was in the summer of 1944. Q. From whom did you hear about it? A. These reports came from various districts of the Reich, saying that the population intended to lynch these fliers who had inflicted such punishment and caused so many victims. Q. But that was only after you had set up through your organization a plan for going into and reporting on such cases, isn't that right? A. No. I have never made a plan but have summarized the reports which I received and submitted the summary to a higher authority, saying that such action was impossible. You can see from one of the last paragraphs of this report that the highest people in the Reich were occupied with this question and I did not belong to that highest department. Q. Without regard to what you belonged to, the fact is that you conferred with Warlimont and you expressed views as shown by this document? A. No, I had no conference with Warlimont. Q. Do you believe that this is not a correct copy of an official document. A. I don't know, but the contents are not correct. [Page 1313] Q. You know that a very efficient German General Staff would never write a top secret document without being sure of the facts; isn't that right? A. This can only be an error on the part of Warlimont regarding the person. Q. Another instance where everyone else is wrong but Kaltenbrunner? A. Permit me to suggest that you ask Warlimont. I have no recollection of having had any discussion with him and under the circumstances I do not believe that he would have said it. Q. What did you say when Warlimont asked whether cases involving supposed criminal enemy fliers arose, of whether the SD were in a position to investigate and construct such cases in all details? A. I have never discussed this subject with Warlimont. Q. But you recall you told him that you were not in a position to make such investigations or to prepare such cases? A. No. INTERPRETER: He says it is necessary for him to say some more on the subject. Do you want to hear it? Q. As long as it is pertinent. A. Warlimont says here: "To hand over to SD". Ask Warlimont whether he considered the SD an executive department or not. Q. Let us first ask Kaltenbrunner what he said when Warlimont suggested that the procedure for the segregation of such fliers should be handled through the SD? A. He has never discussed that with me at all and I could therefore have made no definition of my attitude. I am fully convinced, however, that I know whom he has talked to about this, but it was not me. Q. Who was it? A. It could only have been a person authorized by Himmler, because this was a matter for the OKW [The OKW (Obercommando der Wehrmacht) or Armed Forces High Command, headed by Field Marshall Keitel.], the Foreign Minister and the Reichsfuehrer SS office. Q. It could have been anyone. A. And it could only have been a person authorized in this case by Himmler, who had continuous contact with him. Q. It could have been anyone and this paper shows it was Kaltenbrunner. A. There is only one thing -- confront me with Warlimont and see what he will say. He will say "No," because he cannot say anything else. [Page 1314] Q. There is only one Obergruppenfuehrer Kaltenbrunner, is there not? A. That is correct, and these matters were always handled by one man in negotiations with the OKW and the Foreign Ministry, who was authorized by Himmler, and that man was Fegelein. Q. Why do you persist in giving these answers which are obviously in error and probably constitute perjury in the face of established facts? A. My punishment, I assume, will be the same in any case, and I have therefore no cause to lie to you, but there is no point in confirming someone's error in this case. I cannot do that.
Home ·
Site Map ·
What's New? ·
Search
Nizkor
© The Nizkor Project, 1991-2012
This site is intended for educational purposes to teach about the Holocaust and
to combat hatred.
Any statements or excerpts found on this site are for educational purposes only.
As part of these educational purposes, Nizkor may
include on this website materials, such as excerpts from the writings of racists and antisemites. Far from approving these writings, Nizkor condemns them and
provides them so that its readers can learn the nature and extent of hate and antisemitic discourse. Nizkor urges the readers of these pages to condemn racist
and hate speech in all of its forms and manifestations.